Sewer cleaner and flusher.



H. A. GOETZ.

SEWER CLEANER AND ELUSHEE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1910.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

naar a. -eonrawor New emana, nanterre.

su 'emanan nm: 'mms t 'specification of Lettersatent.

'Application A111.115. January' 2d, Y101.0. Serial No. 559,844.

ratenteanee. ic, reis.

To all whom t may concern.'

.Be 'it known that I, HENRY A. -Gon'rz, a citizenof-the United States, :residing at New Alban-y, in thetcountyof Floyd fand Stateef Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful mprovements .in Sewer Cleaners and Flushersyof which the following is a specification, 'reference 'being had ltherein to the .accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements lin machines andzdevices for-cleaning and flushing sewers.

The objectsoftheinyention lare to ,provide a maohinewhich will .be automatically pro# pelled 'through .a sewer and which will have means fer yloosening ,the material from the surface of the sewer, and-means lfor .flushing the sewer -to carry away the llocsened anaterial.

@ber objects 'relate to .the various features .of construction 'and arrangement .of parts which are fully shown in the drawings 1and described in the lfollowing specification.

Offthe drawings, Figure 1 is-a cross sectional view of -a section -of sewer showing a machine embodying Amy .invention .in operatien. FigL2 is an end View showing .a .1nachine in .position .in .a sewer. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view .showing a lmachine in position in a sewer.

Referring to Ythe drawings, l represents .the sewer' cleaner and ,nsher as a whole. The machine is preferably ,provided with three supporting wheels, 2, 2, and 3. The wheel 3 is located .in the .center .of the machine, near the rear end. The .forward in .two parts 5El and 5b which are joined together by bolts passing through the vertical danges at 6. rlhe casin is provided with anv approximately semi-cy lndrical wall 7 vconcentric with which there'xis mounted on the shaft 8, the runner 9. The shaft 8 is freely rotatable in suitable bearings on the casing.

l0 represents .a nozzle connected to the casing-5. To-this :nozzle there .is connected by means ofthe coupling 11 a hose .12.

The runner 9 is providedwith a series of buckets or blades 13 which extend substantially radially `outward .from the hub of the runner. These buckets are adapted to receive the impact -of the water passing through lthe .nozzle .10 and are preferably concaved toward 'the nozzle. .It will be noted, however, that the concavity is Slight and .is -notsuiiicient to give to the wheel a maximum-hydraulic eiiciency,such as might be obtained by using buckets -o'f the lclton type. The reason for Ithe form of bucket which .is .used will be more fully set forth hereafter. A

0n .the 'hub .of 'the wheel, inside of the .path of .the buckets, I lprovide bevel .gear teeth y141;. On .the .frame or casing 5, in a suitable bearing 15 is mounted the shaft 16. At the rear end .of this shaft there .is providedaJ bevel pinion '17 which is adapted to .mesh with the gear teeth 14 -on the hub of the runner. The worm 1.8 is secured .to the shaft .16 .inadvance of, and .adjacent to, the bearing 15. The worm 18 is ofsuch a size and zpitch that its 4threads will engage with 'the worm teeth of the driving and supporting wheels 2 .2. Tothe forward end of the shaft 16 there is secured an arm 19 which carries the lknife 20. The arm 19 fis of such a length- .that the knife 2O will be moved either in contact with, or closely adjacent to the surface of the sewer. 'The .forward end of the knife .20 is preferably curved inward :to permit it to more easily pass .over any 'irregularities orf the sewer surface as the machine is advanced. Suitable brackets for the wheel 3 such as indicated by 21 and 22, and suitable brackets .for the vwheels 2. 2, s uch as Iindicated by 23, '23, are provided either as integral parts of the casing and frame 5,-01 are rigidly attached thereto.

.At the top ofthe machine l .prefer to provide a wheel 24 which is adapted to engage with the upper surface of the sewer. This .wheel lis connected to the main frame by means of an elastic arm 25. By means of the screw 26 the angle ofthe arm 25 relative to the main frame may bechanged and the varm flexed to -cause a pressure of the wheel 24 against the upper surface of the sewer. This pressure maybe regulated by adj usting` the screw 26.

The operation of the sewer cleaner and flasher is as follows: rlhe machine is first position for operation, the hose 12 is connected to it and the other end of t-he hose is connected to a hydrant. The hose should preferably be provided with suitable Supporting wheels such as 28, which serve to hold it out of Contact with the sewer and t-o A permit it to readily be moved along. When water is admitted to the hose under pressure, it passes through the nozzle 10. with considerable velocity and impinges against the buckets or blades 13, thus impartingjga rapid rotary motion to the runner 9. y means of the gears 14 and 17, the rotary motion of the runner is communicated to the shaft 16 and the worm 18. The worm 18, by its engagement with the wheels 2, 2, causes them to rotate, and their engagement with the walls'of the sewer advances the machine. The arm 19 with the knife 20 being connected to the shaft 16, is rapidly revolved, the 'knife 20 cutting and loosening all material from the surface of the ,sewer and causing it to fall to the bottom. In many cases it is found that roots of trees have grown into the sewer and these frequently The 'kni 2() is driven with sujiicient force and velocity to cutoff any such roots. The water which enters through the nozzle, 10, after acting on the wheel is discharged toward the bottom of the sewer and in a direc' tion slightly inclined toward the rear. Owing to the form of the runner blades the whole energy of the water is not utilized and `it is discharged against the bottom of the lanother manhole such as 29, it may be stopped and the hose removed and drawn backward through' the manhole 27. The

hose may now be passed through Athe manhole 29 and again connected to the machine, the operation before described being rep peated. The wheel 24 serves to hold the machine in position and also gives increasedtractive pressure to the wheels 2, 2. The three wheeled mounting which I have provided gives the machine a lirm support in spite of any irregularities which may. exist in the lcontour of the sewer.

A machine embodying myinvention is of course especially adapted for use in sewers which are circular in cross section. It is obvious however, that with some modifications, machines of this type may be used in sewers of non-circular cross section and I greatly retard the flow of sewage..-

consider my invention as extending so farv as applicable to machines adapted for use 1n non-circular sewers. For instance 1n' sewers whlch are egg-shaped 1ncross section, very little change in mymachine would be necessary although it would be impossible for the knifeA 2O to clean any of the surface except the tion at the bott-om.'v

y. What I claim is 1. In a machine for cleaning sewers the combination of a hydraulic motor, means for supplying water to' the motor, propelling means connected to the motor, and the exhaust opening of said motor directed to discharge water against the sewer surface in a direction inclined oppositely to thedirection of motion of the machine, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device for cleaning sewers the combination of propelling means means for supplyin water to the device and means for discharging water from the device against the sewer surface in ajdirection inclined oppositely to the direction of motion of the device, substantially'as set forth.

, 3. In a machine for cleaning sewers, the

combination of a motor and two supporting and propelling wheels connected to said motor and lying` in divergingplanes, substantially as set forth. l

partly cylindrical por-b 4. In a machine for cleaning sewers the combination of a motor, two l'propelling wheels connected to the motor and lying in diverging planes, and an elastically mounted wheel adapted to engage with the upper surface of the sewer, the axes of the three wheels located in the same plane perpendicular to the axis of the sewer, substantially as setforth.

5. In a machine for cleaning sewers, the combination of suitable cleaning means with a plurality of supportingv and guiding wheels, three of the said wheels located in diverging planes with their axes in the same plane perpendicular to the axes of the sewer, said wheels located at the forward end of the machine, and a follower guide vlheel mounted at the rear end of the mac me.

6. In a machine for cleaning sewers the combination with suitable cleaning means of a hydraulic motor with its axis located transverse the axis of the sewer, a rotatable shaft parallel to the sewer, power connecdirection opposite to the motion of the deadvance of the motor and connected thereto,

vice and behind the said cutting and cleansubstantially as set forth. l0 ing devices, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof l aliix my signature,

8. In a sewer cleaner the combination of a in presence of two Witnesses. 5 motor adapted to discharge Water at an an- HENRY A. GOETZ.

gle to the surface of the sewer in a direc- Witnesses: tion opposite to the motion of the cleaner CHARLES REISTER,

and suitable cutting and cleaning devices in JOHN Gomz. 

